


A Place to Belong

by WickedlyAwesomeMe



Series: Across the Universe [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover Pairings, F/M, Feisty Hermione, Heartbroken Arthur, Time Travel, Two Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2019-01-10 12:27:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12299256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickedlyAwesomeMe/pseuds/WickedlyAwesomeMe
Summary: She always insisted she doesn't belong in Camelot. Prince Arthur always wondered why.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Camelot, Hermione of Somewhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a random HP/Merlin crossover for you folks :)
> 
> Just so you know, I'm awfully fond of making crossovers.

* * *

 

"Merlin," Prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot exasperatedly claimed. His idiot of a manservant sheepishly smiled and urged for his horse to trot farther away from Arthur so as not to bump against his horse again.

"My apologies, sire," Merlin murmured, looking anything but apologetic. Ever since they started their little journey around the Darkling Woods, Arthur thought his manservant was doing everything, and he meant anything, just to annoy him.

Arthur was not exactly in a wonderful mood as of late, and he knew Merlin was merely trying to cheer him up. _'He is a good friend,'_ a soft voice whispered inside his mind and he sighed, resignedly concurring. It was undoubted, of course, but that did not exactly mean Merlin was helping him from nursing his broken heart. That was why, it startled him when his manservant chirpily voiced out his desire to hunt for the day.

 _"You don't like to hunt, Merlin,"_ he answered back, brooding, and lifted an eyebrow when Merlin embarrassedly blushed. After that, a furious babble spilled out from Merlin, and he was not even making sense at all. But then, due to an inkling that a headache was about to form because of Merlin's incessant talking, Arthur finally agreed.

Somehow, he was starting to regret it.

The Darkling Woods held memories, too many memories, and he couldn't help but be embittered by the scenery. His hunting tools were all stashed away inside a small satchel Merlin surprisingly prepared, purposefully neglected by the prince. Truthfully, he wasn't really in the mood to hunt.

"Arthur, do you want to talk - "

"Shut up, Merlin, I don't," Arthur said through gritted teeth. At the corner of his eyes, he saw Merlin instantly clamping his mouth, dejected, and Arthur instantly regretted blowing up at him. Sometimes, he wondered as to why Merlin still constantly flanked his side despite the prince's terrible temper. He knew he had given Merlin a hard time for the past few years he worked under him and although he always promised to himself to lessen the burden of his loyal servant, this childish and irrational side of him always hindered him from doing so.

"Forgive me," he said without wavering. Merlin's eyes widened in disbelief and in spite of himself, Arthur couldn't help but smile. He rarely apologizes to Merlin. "But I'd rather travel in peace, Merlin."

Merlin willed his eyes to go back into their original shape before vigorously nodding. "O-of course, sire," he said, turning scarlet.

Arthur briefly nodded his head and looked straight ahead, welcoming the silence that befell upon them.

His thoughts immediately returned to the soft words Guinevere uttered to him ages ago, the same words that steered him into a terrible mood… the same words that broke his heart.

 _"I-I'm sorry, Arthur,"_ she tearfully whispered, gazing up at him with her wide, shining eyes. Arthur thought it was unfair that despite the tears, despite the words he knew she was about to utter, she still was the most beautiful person he had ever laid eyes on. _"But I love Lancelot."_

The harsh reminder of Gwen's true nature of feelings once again painfully stabbed his heart, or what was left of it really. He had always known the knight held a special place in Gwen's heart. Arthur's heart was somehow put at ease when Lancelot was banished from the kingdom by pretending to be a knight. He thought he had the chance to win Morgana's maidservant's heart. And for a moment, even Guinevere wavered.

For a moment, he was happy.

But then, Lancelot returned, having helped Camelot with the increasing uprisings up in the north. The rebellions had almost cost Arthur's life, but it was Lancelot who came into the rescue. Arthur, eternally grateful for Lancelot's chivalry and loyalty, urged him to accompany them back to Camelot, knowing that Uther's order of banishment would be lifted and perhaps, Lancelot would be knighted once again.

It turned out Arthur was right. Uther was pleased with Lancelot's act of bravery, having saved the Crown Prince of Camelot; thus, he was knighted and had been serving Camelot for a few months now.

Unbeknownst to the Prince, Lancelot's return would also cause his ultimate heartbreak. Gwen's dying love for Lancelot had been reawakened by his return. Arthur ignored this feeling at first, thinking that perhaps, Gwen was merely confused. But as days passed by and it was increasingly becoming obvious that Gwen's feelings were solely directed to Lancelot, Arthur knew he had lost. And since then, he desperately picked up the pieces of his shattered heart and tried to put them back together.

For now, he was unsuccessful.

He was embittered by Gwen's choice, but at the same time resigned. He was foolish to think that with his love for her strong and her feelings for him pronounced, Arthur thought something would happen between them. He even fancied himself into thinking that he'd ask her to be his queen one day. His father would be enraged for all he care, but he was willing to fight for his love for Guinevere until the very end. Now, that seemed to be a distant dream, for the woman he devoted himself to was in love with another.

Arthur had never known a pain as great as heartbreak and he suspected it would take a while for him to move on. Seeing Gwen everyday, serving Morgana and doing her castle duties, was painful enough. Sometimes, he even caught his knight and the maidservant having secret meetings that would be frowned upon by the society due to their impropriety and indecorum, and he would once again be reminded of what he had lost.

His misery grew as days passed by and it made him wonder as to why his father never suspected of the illness that he carried. It was only Merlin who knew, it was _always_ Merlin who knew, and he had been trying his best to at least make Arthur happy.

A sudden shout from nearby pulled him out of his reverie. The noise startled his horse for it reared back and neighed, lifting its front legs up into the air.

"Whoa, whoa," Arthur said, trying to calm his horse so as not to fall on the ground. Merlin was unfortunate, though, for his equally startled horse managed to unseat him. His manservant lost his balance and landed with a loud thud on the ground, prompting him to groan in pain.

Scowling, Arthur's eyes scanned the source of the noise. He was finally able to calm his horse down. At the same time, a girl suddenly stumbled off from a bush and fell on the ground. Arthur's eyes opened in shock, watching as the disgruntled girl muttered dark nothings under her breath.

She wore a peculiar ensemble of clothes. A light blue blouse hugged her top while a white, dirtied skirt that shockingly ended a few inches below the knee covered her thighs. Arthur found himself blushing at her obvious state of being underdressed. He could see her milky white legs, tainted with dirt and blood, and found himself flushing redder.

Her hair was a mess. It was tied at the at the back of her head, with stubborn tendrils framing her furious face. Her warm, brown eyes were narrowed in a dark glare; her nose was a small, button one, and her full, pink lips were still opening and closing, furiously mumbling something Arthur could not hear.

She seemed not to notice that Arthur and Merlin were there, and it was only when Arthur lightly cleared his throat when she noticed. The strange girl stiffened and paled, her mutterings now halted in surprise. Slowly, she looked at them and her eyes widened. If it was possible, she paled even more.

"Umm…" she whispered, sounding almost breathless. Slowly, she stood up from the ground and grew cautious.

Arthur frowned and dismounted from his horse. Beside him, Merlin scrambled back on his feet. His forehead was a little red due to his fall, but he seemed to ignore it as he also looked at the strange girl. Judging from Merlin's bright red ears, Arthur deduced that even his manservant noticed how underdressed the girl was.

"Are you lost?" the prince slowly asked. His frown deepened when the anger that was present on her face a while ago was back again. "Can we help you?"

She released a long, annoyed sigh and massaged the bridge of her nose. "Yes, you can," she said, warily looking at them. Perhaps, it was merely Arthur's imagine, but a sudden look of bafflement appeared on her face. "Y-you're a… a knight."

He lifted an eyebrow at her surprise. It seemed she did not know who he was. Tempted to say his title as the Prince of Camelot, Arthur shot a quick glance at his manservant. Merlin was still confusedly staring at the strange girl. When he looked back at her again, he in the end chose to nod his head as his answer.

She started to panic when he gave her his answer. "Can you… can you tell me where I am?" she said. Arthur detected the fear in her question and was confused.

"Near the western boundaries of Camelot," Arthur replied. She released a surprised gasp at the mention of his kingdom.

"Oh," she said, her panic increasing ten-fold. "I… err… Blast."

He was startled by the improper word that escaped from her lips. She once again fell into a round of mumbling, her anger back and heightened. Arthur looked at Merlin, who returned his stare with an amused smile. The idiot seemed to be enjoying the presence of the strange girl.

"Perhaps, it is best if you come along with us," Merlin suddenly said. Arthur shot him a bemused look, but his manservant merely shrugged. She stopped rambling now and was staring at the two of them, wide-eyed. His eyes lightly strayed at her clothes and Arthur had to roll his eyes when Merlin blushed again. "A-a lot of evil lurk in this forest and it isn't nice for a girl to roam around, unattended. Right, Arthur?"

He gave him a withering glare, but his attention was brought back to the girl when she gasped. "A-Arthur?" she sputtered out. "King Arthur?"

"Prince, actually," Arthur immediately corrected. He then pointed to his manservant. "And this is Merlin, I'm sure we'd - "

"M-Merlin?" she sputtered out, this time her astonishment greater. Merlin knitted his eyebrows at the surprise in her voice. "I… I c-can't…" Her hands then crept against her face and she released an ear-splitting scream. Merlin flinched beside him and Arthur's eyes widened into saucers. "KINGSLEY SHACKLEBOLT, I'LL KILL YOU!"

Silence followed her surprising outburst and Arthur was at loss of what to do. If he wasn't surprised himself, he would have laughed at Merlin's idiotic look on his face.

Slowly, then, the girl removed her hands away from her face, which by now was a lovely shade of red. Arthur frowned at the tears that had now gathered at the corner of her eyes.

"T-the help that you offered," she started, obviously trying her best not to cry, "Does it still stand?"

Arthur swallowed and nodded his head.

* * *

The prince opened his eyes, scowling as once again, he had dreamt of Gwen's smile.

He rolled over to his side, wishing for sleep to return, but every time he closed his eyes, he would see Gwen's lovely face. He knew this heartbreak of his was starting to annoy him, but what could he do? He had no remedy for this. Arthur had been tempted to ask some Sleeping Draught from Gaius, but he was too prideful and embarrassed to ask. Besides, Gaius tells Merlin everything and he was sure Merlin's unbearable sympathy would increase if he discovered that Arthur was seeking aid from potions just to sleep peacefully at night.

Arthur grabbed a pillow and hugged it tight, burying his face against its softness. Just then, his door creaked open and he softly sighed. He could hear Merlin's noisy footsteps and scowled. He reprimanded his manservant time and again to walk softly whenever he woke him up. His heavy footsteps could wake the whole castle, if Arthur was to describe it.

A soft yelp then tore from Merlin's mouth. Arthur heard him tumble down on the floor, prompting his study table to creak in the process.

"You clumsy idiot," Arthur muttered, slowly sitting up to see his manservant sprawled messily on the floor. His laundry basket was upturned beside Merlin, its contents spilled all over him. Arthur guessed this was the reason why Merlin tripped down.

"I'm sorry, sire, if I woke you up," Merlin apologetically said, hastily gathering the soiled clothes and dumping them unceremoniously inside the laundry basket. As soon as he was done, Merlin climbed up to his feet and ran towards the curtains. He opened them quickly, earning a soft hiss from Arthur. Craning his neck, he sheepishly smiled at the prince, who was now shielding his eyes from the sudden bright light in the room. "Um… sorry about that."

Arthur grumbled and stood up from his bed. "You're extra clumsier in the morning," he snarled, his bad mood heightening. "One more incident and I'd fire you."

Of course, he did not mean it, but Arthur was feeling very grumpy today. Merlin by then had turned to his master and frowned.

"You haven't slept at all?" Merlin asked.

Arthur glared. A look of understanding crossed on Merlin's face. "Arthur, I really think it's starting to get unhealthy. Maybe, we should ta - "

"No," the prince boomed. Merlin flinched and stopped mid-sentence. Arthur beseechingly turned his eyes at Merlin. "Not yet."

Merlin stared at him for a full long minute before slowly nodding his head. Arthur scowled and looked away, annoyed at how Merlin's face softened in sympathy.

Arthur racked his brain for something to say to break the awkward silence. "The girl in the forest," he hastily said, remembering the events of yesterday. "Is she well?"

To Arthur's surprise, Merlin chuckled. He looked at him in confusion, frowning when he saw something odd twinkling in Merlin's eyes. "Oh, Hermione?" he asked. Merlin absentmindedly scratched his chin and grinned. "She is well, albeit a little surprised. Gaius and I had to calm her down a great deal last night, but I think she is well now."

"She is an odd girl," Arthur commented, walking behind the panel screen to change.

"Oh, she is," Merlin said. "And a lot more."

The prince knitted his eyebrows, confused with Merlin's words. "Did she say where she was from and how she landed herself here in Camelot?" he asked.

"Certain… err… circumstances happened back in her home, and she found herself here in Camelot," Merlin said vaguely. Arthur assumed that the 'certain circumstances' he spoke of were something about the uprisings that was happening at the outskirts of Camelot. "Which then leads me to my next question."

The prince emerged from the panel screen and questioningly looked at Merlin.

"I think Hermione has to stay for a few days, perhaps even a few months here in Camelot," his manservant continued. "Will you permit her, sire? She promises to be a servant in exchange for shelter. As soon as things settle back down in her home, she will leave."

Arthur nonchalantly shrugged. "I'm sure father will agree," he said. "But where will she live?"

"There's a spare cot in Gaius' bedchambers," Merlin answered. "She can stay in my bedroom while I sleep outside."

"Then, let her stay if she must," Arthur said.

Merlin smiled and nodded his head. "She will appreciate that, Arthur," he then said. "Thank you." 

* * *

Three days had passed, and yet things were still the same and ordinary. Arthur found himself immensely bored, having been cooped up in the castle with nothing to do. He very much wanted to train with the other knights of Camelot, but Uther had issued a decree for such trainings to be halted indefinitely until the uprisings were controlled.

He had done other things he could come up with – read a book, listen to council meetings, and even ride on horseback in the forest, but soon, even these things started to bore him. His boredom wasn't exactly a welcomed guest, for memories with Guinevere would once again rush into his head; thus, making him grumpier than usual. Merlin was unfortunately the receiving end of his terrible mood and Arthur, in a bout of irrational annoyance, had ordered for him to go to the stocks.

Now, he was in his bedroom, lazing around on his vast bed. His eyes were staring unseeingly at his ceiling, waiting for sleep to at least come.

His attention suddenly swerved at the door when a knock resounded in his room. He muttered a soft "Come in" and to his utmost surprise, Hermione strode inside. She curtsied and he lifted an eyebrow, noting the small scowl that was present on her face.

"And what are you doing here?" he asked, slowly sitting up on his bed.

He was secretly amused when her scowl darkened. "Seeing that you have sent Merlin to the stocks, I volunteered to collect your laundry so that he could clean up, sire," she said. Arthur slightly flinched with the way she addressed him.

Arthur frowned and stood up. No one had ever talked to him like that, not even Merlin. With the way she was glaring at him, Arthur knew she was undoubtedly annoyed. Because of what? He did not really know.

"I trust that you've settled well in Camelot," the prince lightly said. She warily glanced at him and silently nodded her head. Arthur frowned; normally, servants he talked to would be flustered at being addressed to. "I've heard what happened from Merlin. You are welcome to stay here for as long as you like as soon as the certain circumstances Merlin spoke of are finally settled."

She frowned at his statement and nodded her head. "I'm not really sure for how long I'd stay," she said, a hint of tiredness in her voice. "But thank you, Prince Arthur."

She looked back at him and, to his utmost surprise, slightly smiled. That simple facial expression on her face seemed to make Arthur look at her properly this time. She was decently dressed, with her curly hair held up in a neat bun. Her face was void of dirt and tears that surprisingly streamed down from her face before.

Arthur thought, with a jolt, that she was quite disarming.

"Do you wish for me to clean your study table, sire?" she then asked. Arthur caught his trail of thought and lightly shook his head.

"Do not bother yourself," he said. "Merlin will do that later."

Upon the mention of his manservant, her expression turned sour again. "I'd rather do it myself," she quickly snapped. "Poor Merlin might be sent off to the stocks again."

And that was when Arthur understood the reason as to why she seemed annoyed at him when she arrived. "I'm sorry," the prince snapped, feeling annoyed himself, "do you want to tell me something?"

The brunette gave him a defiant stare. "Sending Merlin to the stocks without any reason," she said, lifting her chin. "It wasn't very nice."

He raised an eyebrow at her audacity. "He is annoying," he interjected, offended with the way she was speaking to him. He was a prince, for goodness' sake! A servant like her must show her respect.

"Then, pray tell, sire, what will you feel in the future if your people suddenly decided to overthrow you from your throne because you are, simply put, annoying?" she rebutted, her eyes ablaze.

Prince Arthur's jaw dropped, appalled. His cheeks colored in anger. "Are you questioning my way of handling my manservant?" he spat.

He scowled when her withering stare did not even falter. "A king must treat his subjects fairly," she admonished, shaking her head. "Your servants will not give you some respect if you do petty things." She looked away from him and stared at the laundry basket. She muttered things under her breath and Arthur only caught the words "future King" and "I thought wrong".

Arthur bristled, too angry to find the right words to reply back. _'How dare she?!'_ he exclaimed inside his mind, trying to restrain himself from doing something violent. After all, she was still a girl. But then again, no one had ever told him off like that and he was appalled how a strange, maidservant who he even generously permitted to stay in the castle, was reprimanding him like he did something wrong.

 _'Well, sending Merlin to the stocks for being annoying is a pretty petty reason,'_ a soft voice whispered in his ear, prompting him to scowl darker.

"I'll let this slide because you are quite new here in the castle," Arthur then coldly said, unable to suppress the glare. "Perhaps, you still haven't grasped the fact that I am the prince and no one disrespects me."

She was about to reply something back, before clamping her lips shut. Arthur even prepared himself to answer a scathing remark in return. But then, surprisingly, she turned to him, a hint of apology in her eyes. "Of course," she said, sighing softly. Arthur thought he detected disappointment in her voice. "I apologize, sire."

She then curtsied and turned around, striding closer to the door. Before she could leave, though, she turned around and sternly looked at the prince. "A word of advice, Prince Arthur," she said. "Do something with that condescending attitude of yours, or even your most loyal of followers might turn their backs on you someday." She curtsied again and left, leaving a baffled and offended Prince.

He stared at the spot where she used to stand in confusion and anger, wondering what had just happened back then.

"Arthur?"

His trail of thought was halted when his own manservant walked inside his bedroom.

"What's wrong?" Merlin asked, surveying the weird expression on his face.

Arthur then darkly scowled and glared menacingly at Merlin. "Tell that Hermione," he spat, "to not insult the prince next time."

Merlin looked highly amused. "She insulted you?" he asked, unable to suppress the grin. "That is her. I've suspected she is a feisty one but…" His voice faltered when Arthur's glare darkened. He quickly hid his smile and vigorously nodded his head. "Of course, of course, I'd tell her the basic rules of Camelot." Merlin then ran out of his room even before Arthur could answer something in return.

Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

'What a baffling person,' he told to himself, scowling as he remembered the words she had uttered to him.

He couldn't deny the fact that she intrigued him, though.

* * *

He stormed into the stables, unable to look at them.

Just a while ago, he and his other knights were having a much-anticipated training. Arthur thought today would be a wonderful day, seeing that he was back at doing what he absolutely loved to do. But then, he was soon reminded of his broken heart, dampening whatever good mood he was in today. 

Scowling, he took a peek outside the stables and saw Guinevere in Lancelot's arms, laughing softly at something the knight had whispered against her ear.  Arthur's hands slowly closed into tight fists and he looked away. Just seeing the two of them was an unbearable sight.

"You should control your emotions, you know."

He whipped his head at the sound of her voice and scowled darker. Stomping in haste, he was not able to see that the stables were not unoccupied. Bent down on the ground was Hermione, stacking some hay hither thither for the horses inside.

He glared darkly at her, remembering their not-so-pleasant conversation two days ago. Hermione, on the other hand, expelled a soft sigh and stood up. She warily looked at him before stepping closer, her gaze now landing on the couple outside the stables.

Something flashed in her eyes, something Arthur thought was a mixture of bafflement and confusion, before turning to look at him.

"I thought Guinevere loves you," she said.

Her words had sent a million knives into his heart. Hermione's eyes widened, realizing what her words had done to him, and hastily apologized.

He momentarily forgot the pain and amusedly stared at her. "You're apologizing?" he asked, disbelieving.

To his surprise, she blushed and lightly scowled. "Must you get cheeky now, sire?" she asked. It still confused him as to how she could be insulting and respectful at the same time. Only Merlin had done that amazing feat for years. 

Arthur sighed and looked back at Gwen and Lancelot. "She did," he then answered. He felt her questioning eyes on him. "I mean, she did love me. I'm not really sure." Arthur frowned and ran a hand through his hair. "Perhaps, it was a mere fantasy by me, but I still believe that she used to love me, even though, now she doesn't."

Silence followed his little statement and the two of them watched together when Gwen giggled while Lancelot pulled her away until the couple was gone.

"But it's… it's wrong," Hermione finally answered.

Surprised, Arthur directed his wide eyes at her.

Hermione seemed to be lost in her little world. "I mean, it's not yet time," she chattered on, worriedly wringing her wrists. "You're not even king yet and… and…" She suddenly paused, her eyes widening a little. She looked at him, suspiciously horrified, before flushing red once more. "I-I'm sorry, I just…"

It surprised him when he managed to flash a small smile. "Why do you think it's wrong?" he asked.

"Well, you're a prince," she answered back. "I mean… who can deny a prince?"

He incredulously laughed at her statement. "For a person who seemed keen to insult a prince, I'm surprised those words came out from your mouth," he pointed out. She lightly glared at him, but the hostility she wished to achieve was dampened by her lovely, red cheeks.

"Why don't you try fighting for her?" she then asked. All mirth left his eyes and he stared at her, bemused. "I-I mean, it is obvious that you still love her, Prince Arthur."

Wryly, he smiled and shook his head. "I just cannot throw myself at Guinevere," he stated. "That won't make her love me again."

He was saddened by the thought and once again, he felt that familiar pang in his heart. He was growing accustomed to it, but that did not necessarily mean that it wasn't painful anymore.

Arthur suddenly jolted when Hermione placed a hand on his arm. He looked at her, shocked, but even she was mirroring his expression. Her hand recoiled and limply fell back on her side. Her cheeks had darkened once more and she shifted her gaze away from him, embarrassed.

"Um… you know, if you are destined for each other," she softly started, "then I'm sure whatever obstacles you face in the future, you'd still end up together."

She shyly looked back at him and prettily smiled. Hermione then politely curtsied and walked away, leaving a baffled Arthur in her wake.

* * *

He found himself watching her at times. Whenever she passed in the palace courtyard, his eyes would instantly magnetize to her. Whenever a crowd of servants entered the throne room, his eyes would land on hers alone. Sometimes, she did catch him, and he would nonchalantly raise an eyebrow in return, not wanting to admit he was caught staring.

Arthur Pendragon believed that Hermione the maidservant was a peculiar thing.

Their conversation back in the stables still echoed in his mind, and he found himself mulling over it again and again. He did not want to admit it, but her words brought great hope in his heart. If Guinevere and he were destined to be together, then gods,  all he had to do was wait. It wasn't an easy feat, of course, because he was known to be an impatient prince. But if that was the only thing that could help him survive this broken heart, then so be it.

"You're staring, sire," Merlin suddenly whispered in his ear, surprising the prince.

Arthur knitted his eyebrows and blushed, embarrassed to be caught. Currently, he was in the Throne Room signing documents while his father was resting. Sometimes, Uther was already showing signs of weakness and Arthur couldn't help but feel that his reign as the next King of Camelot was slowly nearing.

He was so keen to finish the signatures but when the assigned maidservants came to clean the Throne Room, Hermione was included in the little group. She was now cleaning a tall statue, her cheeks splattered with red due to frustration (she couldn't quite reach the statue's face) and exhaustion.

Arthur was amused with the way she made little jumps just to wipe the dirt that had collected on the statue's face. She blew frustrated breaths and scowled at the statue, trying to look intimidating when in fact, Arthur thought she was just being plain ridiculous for being mad at an inanimate object.

"You're doing it again," Merlin said, this time with clear amusement. "Staring, Arthur."

"I am not staring," Arthur hissed, glaring in annoyance.

Beside him, Merlin chuckled and shook his head. "Hermione is a lovely person," he said, sounding a little hopeful.

"With that sharp tongue of hers, I don't really see how the word 'lovely' describes her," Arthur grumbled, slumping on his throne. He willed his eyes to return to the document he was reading, but a few minutes later, he found himself staring at her again.

"That's exactly what makes her lovely," Merlin said, followed by a soft sigh. "Too bad she doesn't belong here."

Arthur frowned and craned his neck to look at his manservant. "She doesn't belong here?" he asked. "What do you mean?"

Merlin's eyes widened and he flustered, a sure sign that he was panicking. _'But why?'_ Arthur asked.

"I-I mean, she doesn't belong in Camelot!" Merlin hastily said. "Y-you know, she lives in a village far away from here.  So, err, um, as soon as things settled back home, she will leave."

"Hmm…" Arthur said, returning his gaze back at her. By now, she had successfully wiped the dirt away from the statue and was staring smugly at it. Unwittingly, he smiled at her ridiculousness.

 _'I forgot that she only has to temporarily stay in Camelot,'_ he told himself.

Strangely, that thought made him frown.

* * *

Walking in the forest to clear his head had always been the prince's favourite pastime. Bringing a horse was a hassle, and although convenient, he'd rather meander through the dreary and earthly forest by foot.

Months had already passed, and yet the uprisings in the north had not tamed down. Camelot already lost a few of her finest knights, and King Uther was starting to get alarmed by this. He had officially lifted the prohibition for the knights to train, much to Arthur's gratefulness. Days of boredom finally ended for he could train with the other knights and make him preoccupied.

He always saw Guinevere and Lancelot together, though, and the familiar pain was still there. Strangely enough, those feelings of jealousy and heartache did not send him into a fit of a terrible temper. Merlin kept on giving him confused and amused looks, and Arthur, not really in the mood to be under his scrutiny, tried his very best to avoid his manservant.

True, his heart was still broken, but it came to him as a surprise that although he thought it was impossible at first, he was starting to piece it back together. Sometimes, he even tolerated their presence, baffling him further.

Arthur had no idea what caused this sudden change in his feelings, but whatever or whoever had caused this, then Arthur was eternally grateful he was slowly embarking on a slow journey towards the path of moving on.

A sudden figure from a distance suddenly caught his attention. Walking closer, he raised an eyebrow at the familiar figure of Hermione, who was bent down on a nearby bush, busily collecting what Arthur deemed as flowers.

She looked different today. Her dress, a flowing yellow, complemented her pale features. Her hair, which was usually in a bun, was left undone. Her curly tresses ended up until at the middle of her back and Arthur was amused he never realized she had such a long hair. A basket was perched on one of her arms, idly picking more flowers to fill the almost-full basket.

"Fancy seeing you here," Arthur then said, announcing his presence.

Hermione stiffened and whipped around, her free hand immediately inserting inside her pocket. He raised an eyebrow at her peculiar actions, but she slowly relaxed. A small frown gradually grew on her face and she reluctantly curtsied.

Why she seemed to be perpetual annoyed by his presence, Arthur did not really know. From what he observed and accidentally heard from her small conversation with Merlin, she thought he was a condescending, arrogant, and stuck-up Prince. Normally, those words would have offended him, but surprisingly, he was strangely amused by the way she viewed him. Not that her observation were false, of course. He knew he was a condescending, arrogant, and stuck-up Prince after all. 

"What are you doing here?" Arthur continued, walking closer to her.

She lifted her basketful of flowers. "I was ordered to collect flowers today for the Hall of Ceremonies, sire," she explained.

The prince absentmindedly nodded and finally stopped until he was standing beside her. A sweet smell teased his nose and he wondered if he smelt the flowers or her. "Travelling in the forest unattended is dangerous," he lightly admonished. "I'm surprised they gave such a task to a girl."

He was surprised when she scowled. "Frankly, sire, I'm capable of taking care of myself," she shot back, once again annoyed. When he gave her a confused stare, she sighed and shook her head. "Not all maidens need to be rescued, Prince Arthur. There are those who strive to rescue themselves."

 _'Interesting,'_ he thought, clasping his hands behind his back. She prattled about equality and his lack of proper maturity when it came to handling his servants. _'Interesting indeed.'_

"Have you any news about your hometown?" Arthur then inquired.

She frowned in disappointment and shook her head. "None yet," she replied back. "I don't think I'll be able to go home in the next two weeks."

Involuntarily, Arthur beamed. Hermione shot a wary look at the expression on his face.

"Well then," he said, ignoring her suspicious look, "you are welcome to stay in Camelot for as long as you like."

That made her frown more deeply.

"Come on, Camelot isn't that bad," he said, defending his kingdom.

"It's just… it's not home," she interjected and forlornly gazed around her. "True, Camelot withholds a unique beauty but… but it's not the same. It's not my home." She settled her doe-like eyes at him and sadly smiled. "I don't belong here."

Arthur frowned. That was the first time he heard her say that phrase. "Why do you speak as if you're not even supposed to be here?" he asked, oddly annoyed. "Certain circumstances, and I assume they are uprisings, are happening in your hometown and obviously, you are far safer here in Camelot than any place in the Five Kingdoms and their outskirts."

"But you see, I'm not supposed to be here," she answered back, confusing him more. Hermione smiled at the look on his face. "You won't understand. I just… I don't belong here."

"You baffle me," the prince replied, expelling a soft sigh. "I don't even know how to properly interact with you. You're annoyed by me, aren't you? That is why you are so keen of going home."

To his surprise, she looked at him in amusement. "Yes, you annoy me," she bluntly said, prompting him to raise an eyebrow at her audacity, "but you're not entirely the reason as to why I'm so keen of going home. I've left a lot of… err… work back home and I know I've missed a lot already. I'm needed back home."

Arthur absentmindedly sauntered to one of the nearby bushes and played with a flower. "This home that you speak," he said, "where exactly is it?"

"Oh, somewhere," she flippantly said. When he shot her a suspicious look, she shrugged. "I'm not inclined to tell you something personal, Prince Arthur. I've already established the fact that you are a prince and you deserve some of my respect."

He smiled at her words, clearly remembering the first banter they exchanged. "Will you give me the opportunity to know you more?" he then suddenly asked, surprising her… _surprising him_. She blushed into a lovely shade of red, but the wary look did not leave her face.

"Um… we'll see about that," she guardedly answered.

Arthur chuckled and walked closer to her, the flower he was toying with now clutched in his hand. "You are a strange girl, Hermione of Somewhere," he said in amusement, lifting his hand and gently tucking the flower behind her right ear.

For a moment, his fingers brushed against her cheek and she grew warmer still. Arthur was surprised as to how smooth her skin was and he recoiled back, a sudden jolt of electricity running through his arm. He stared at his fingers in bewilderment and was confused as to why they were still tingling despite the fact that he wasn't touching her face anymore.

"Well… err… g-good day, sire," she hastily said, curtsying and passing him by. That same sweet smell reached his nose again, answering his earlier question just a while ago.

Arthur turned around and confusedly stared at her retreating back. For a moment, she briefly turned around, and a ghost of her smile imprinting in his mind.

Hermione was a strange girl.

And Arthur believed she was doing something strange to him, too.


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

"Stop following me," she hissed, glaring as inconspicuously as she could.

Arthur smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Now, now, do not flatter yourself," he shot back. "It just so happens I have some business to do in the village market, too."

Now, that was a perfectly crafted lie. Again, Prince Arthur found himself with nothing to do. His father had sent another band of knights to the northern borders of Camelot, prohibiting him to accompany them. Hence, training today was out of the question.

He actually thought of sleeping for the whole day until Merlin would get him for dinner. But then, when Merlin asked permission not to attend to Arthur's needs for the afternoon because he had to accompany Hermione in the village market, an idea suddenly formed in his mind. Merlin was baffled when Arthur told him he could rest, promising to escort the brunette in the village market instead. He ignored the curious look that appeared on his manservant's face and shooed him away.

He wasn't entirely sure as to why he volunteered to accompany Hermione. One thing was for sure, though – she was annoyed by his presence. Eyes instantly latched onto them, seeing that he was the prince of the kingdom, and he could see that the attention they were receiving was making her uncomfortable. Her cheeks were a lovely shade of red and every so often, she would throw a scathing glower at him when she thought he wasn't looking.

So far, he was enjoying this little trip.

"What are you going to buy today?" he asked, absentmindedly nodding his head to those who curtsied or bowed.

"Ingredients," she curtly said, walking briskly away from him. Arthur, though, was blessed with long legs for he was able to match her strides. She exasperatedly looked at him and he smirked. To his utmost surprise, her lips were twitching in what he deduced as a small smile. The smirk he was sporting grew wide into a full-fledged smile.

He was making her smile.

And blast,  was he happy about it!

"I don't understand how such an exasperating man will rule this kingdom in the future," she muttered under her breath, afraid that some passersby would hear her words and accuse her of blasphemy. "Thank Merlin I'll be gone then."

He knitted his eyebrows. "What do you have to thank Merlin for?" he asked, confused.

Her eyes seemed to widen and she grew flustered. "O-oh, um… right, ingredients," she said, once again striding quickly away from him. Arthur amusedly looked at her retreating back and caught up with her in three sides.

She went from one stall to another, bargaining the vegetables and meat from some of the vendors. Arthur had never been to the market to buy things, and well, he was actually amazed as to how things were done inside the market.

By the time she was done, and her basket was finally full, Arthur's eyes were twinkling with delight. "That was good, back there," he said, jutting a thumb towards the last stall they had been. "For you to bargain a bunch of potatoes for an absolutely low price, I can't deny I'm amazed."

Hermione chuckled and shook her head. "This happens everyday, sire," she said. She looked at him, her eyes twinkling too, and Arthur felt an odd flip inside his stomach. "I do wonder what you usually do for the day."

"Oh, train and all," he flippantly said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Nothing too hard for me to do. After all, I'm still the prince and I have to be the best in everything. Not that I'm not, of course."

Gods, was he just trying to impress her?

"How can you not get tired of that condescending attitude of yours?" she admonished. This time, however,  her tone of voice lacked the annoyance. Replaced by it was amazement.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her. "And how can you not get tired of insulting me, the prince?" he asked, amused. "If I am not as considerate as I am right now, I would have long banished you from the kingdom for speaking ill of the prince."

To his surprise, she smiled genuinely at him. "But that's the thing," she said. "You are considerate. Thus, here I am still."

Unwittingly, he blushed. It was the first time she complimented him.

All the color on his face drained suddenly when a familiar couple came walking towards their way. Hermione seemed to notice his sudden change of attitude for she curiously looked at him before turning to his line of vision. Judging from the way she stiffened, she finally saw them.

Guinevere seemed to be buying things in the village market, too, while being accompanied by Lancelot. The couple was lost in their own little world, the way they were looking at each other speaking volumes of the adoration they held for the other.

"I-I think I still forgot to buy some threads," Hermione whispered, worriedly looking at him. "Should we go back, sire?"

The thing was, he could not move.

The thing was, it wasn't because of the pain in his heart.

Arthur stood stock-still, surprised to note that the familiar pang inside his heart was already reduced into an uncomfortable itch. He was uneasy just looking at his lost love and her new one, but surprisingly, there wasn't pain anymore.

Before Hermione could even pull him away, Gwen and Lancelot already saw them. Guinevere turned red and Lancelot stiffened. But then, Arthur found himself smiling gently and tipping his head in greeting. "Guinevere," he said. His eyes then strayed to Lancelot and he nodded once again. "Lancelot."

Gwen released a breath before smiling brightly at him. Even Lancelot seemed relieved.

"Your highness," his knight replied, before he nodded his head and steered Gwen away from the two of them.

By the time they were gone, Arthur could see how Hermione ogled at him in surprise.

"What?" he asked, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

"You just… did my eyes deceive me?" she asked, looking at the spot where Gwen and Lancelot had stood a while ago. "You greeted Guinevere and Lancelot."

Arthur shrugged his shoulders and continued to walk. For a few minutes, Hermione stayed frozen on the spot before running to catch up with him.

An awkward silence settled between the two. At the corner of his eyes, Arthur could see how Hermione fidgeted in discomfort. 

"Do you… do you want to talk about it?" Hermione asked, turning her doe-like eyes at him. It was the same question Merlin kept on asking him, again and again, and Arthur unceasingly replied his firm 'No'. But then, looking at Hermione, he realized with a jolt that yes, he can finally talk about it.

That yes, he thought he was ready to talk about it.

Arthur knitted his eyebrows in confusion, surprised with the change in his emotions. Hermione had mistaken it as a negative response from the prince and hastily exclaimed her apologies. Arthur absentmindedly nodded his head to pardon her.

He still vividly remembered the days when he would brood, the days when he would mourn over Guinevere's choice,  the days when he felt that everything in this world did not matter anymore because Gwen wasn't his anymore.

How come today was suddenly different?

Arthur shot a look at the flustered servant beside him and frowned once again.

_'Is it because - ?'_

But Arthur shook his head before he could even complete his question. Perhaps, he really was just tired today. His plan to sleep for the whole day a while ago seemed to be an enticing plan now and Arthur couldn't wait but to go back into the castle.

* * *

He knew he was acting strange, especially because of how Merlin constantly shot him curious looks, but Arthur ignored him. He placed his chin on top of his arms and sighed.

For the past few days, things had been confusing to him now and he had no idea what to do. His sudden change of feelings towards Gwen and Lancelot baffled him so and he was left at a loss. Coupled with it was the fact that his feelings for a certain brunette changed too and he was too afraid and confused to properly dwell on it.

Hermione was an enigma, that was for sure. She sometimes act and say different things that he normally never heard nor seen before. She was a confusing being and Arthur was immensely intrigued by her attitude. He sometimes found himself wondering what she would say or do next and it was driving him insane already.

"Merlin?" Arthur then grumbled, surprising his manservant.

"Yes, sire?" Merlin asked, turning curiously at his master.

"What do you know about Hermione?" the Prince asked.

Merlin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Why are you suddenly interested about her?" he asked, suspicious.

Arthur gave him a brooding shrug and sighed. "Just answer my question, you idiot," he muttered under his breath.

A look of wonder crossed on Merlin's features, before finally, understanding settled on his face. He threw an amused smile and a knowing look his way, prompting him to scowl. There might be times when Merlin could be slow in processing things, but there were rare moments when he quickly picked up what was being shown to him. Arthur was annoyed that such a rare moment chose to resurface today.

"What do you want to know about her?" Merlin slowly asked, his eyes never leaving Arthur's form.

The prince lightly blushed and turned his eyes away from Merlin's searching ones. "I-I don't know," he said, mentally cursing himself for stumbling. "Little things? Personal things? Insignificant things?"

He was thoroughly annoyed that he did not know much about her. It annoyed him more that he wanted to know more about her.

"I don't think I'm inclined to tell you about herself, sire," Merlin then replied. Arthur looked at him and lightly glared, but there was a strange look on his manservant's face. "She is the kindest person, albeit a little feisty. But very kind-hearted and sweet." A sad smile appeared on Merlin's face and he pointedly looked at Arthur. "Remember one thing, though… she doesn't belong here."

Strangely, the familiar pang that was absent the last time he saw Guinevere with Lancelot suddenly resurfaced in his heart.

* * *

Arthur found himself following her, and he did not even know why. She was currently in the courtyard, once again picking flowers _('Why is she so fond of picking flowers?')_ that would be used in decorating the bedchambers this time.

He watched her from behind, curiously scrutinizing her every action. She wasn't the conventional girl of this time and he wondered where she had gotten such an air of independence and confidence. While girls twittered and gossiped to each other, hoping to catch the attention of a man, Hermione seemed contented with not pleasing anyone at all. She mostly kept to herself; Arthur knew she never socialized with the other maidservants in the palace. She was kind, yes, and he could hear from some of the palace servants that she dutifully did her work. But other than Merlin, she had no actual friend.

"This time, I am quite sure you are following me," Hermione suddenly said, surprising him. She straightened up and looked his way, shaking her head at his obviousness. Arthur sheepishly smiled and shrugged his shoulders, too tired and confused to even come up with an excuse. Hermione sighed and looked away from him, but not before he caught a small smile on her face.

"Don't you have anything to do than bother me, sire?" Hermione said, turning back to her work.

"The fact of the matter is, I enjoy bothering you," Arthur genuinely said. Hermione seemed surprised and amused with his response. He actually expected her to be annoyed, but she wasn't and strangely, that made him relieved.

Arthur strolled towards the lone bench in the courtyard and sat down. Silently, he watched her pick more flowers from the bushes, and marvelled at how the moonlight lit her face, giving her an ethereal glow. Her hair was once again left undone, and Arthur found himself liking it better that way than being messily tied into a bun.

"Do you have any news about your hometown?" he softly asked, breaking the silence.

Hermione released a soft sigh and knitted her eyebrows. "I've heard things," she said. "Finally, but I'm not sure if returning back immediately is the best of plans."

Arthur felt instantly relieved. It seemed like she wasn't going anywhere yet.

He grew silent once again and was contented enough to watch her do her work.

"Um…" she then said, turning to cautiously look at him. "A-are you quite all right now, sire?" When she saw his confused look, she hastily turned back to the bushes and blushed. "I-I mean, the last time I saw you, well… err… certain events happened back in the market."

Arthur blinked. He felt magnificent. "Oh," he said, mindlessly scratching his chin.

"Heartaches are a nasty thing," she continued, her voice now a tad softer. In this quiet courtyard, though, he perfectly heard her. "It might take a while before it heals."

"You sound as if you've had one before," Arthur said.

Hermione chuckled and tucked a stray strand behind her ear. "Who doesn't?" she said, looking at him again. "I've had my fair share of heartaches. Perhaps, the last one was the saddest."

Arthur curiously looked at her and frowned. She did not seem to act like a person who had a sad heartache. "How come you're… I don't know, happy?" he asked. "How could you have moved on?"

She smiled and shrugged. "I thought that the reason things didn't work out between Ron and me is because he isn't the one yet," she said, her gaze landing back at him.

Arthur frowned. Whoever this Ron she spoke of must be an idiot for letting someone as amazing as Hermione slip away from his grasp. Realizing where his trail of thought had brought him, Arthur turned into a furious shade of red. It was fortunate that it was dark already.

"I'm still waiting for him… the right one," she said. "Perhaps, I already saw him; I just don't know it yet."

And for a moment, her eyes connected with his, confusion and wonder filling her eyes.

Arthur took in a sharp intake of breath, meeting her eyes with equal confusion and wonder. Millions and millions of questions raced inside his head.

 _'Maybe,'_ he thought.

Just maybe.

She might have seen something in his eyes for she immediately stood up from the bushes. "Good night, sire," she hastily said before almost dashing out of the courtyard with amazing speed.

Arthur looked at her retreating back and wondered.

 _'Maybe,'_ he thought once more.

Just maybe.

* * *

Two days had passed and nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Arthur chose to isolate himself in his room, ignoring Merlin's constant worried looks thrown his way whenever he came inside Arthur's bedchamber.

Those two days of solitude were glorious and terrifying at the same time.

Glorious, because he basked under the sweet dreams he had, mostly concerning Hermione, and relieved them every minute, every hour of the day.

Terrifying, because Arthur thought that perhaps he had fallen completely in love with Hermione.

* * *

Unknowingly, he followed her again, and this time, there was a purpose in his mind. Arthur clenched his jaw and curled his hands into fists. If his theory was correct with regards to Hermione, then he was too deeply in trouble. But the thought that maybe he was just fancying himself into thinking that he loved her constantly niggled at the back of his mind.

He had to make sure just to put his mind at ease.

Hermione completely stopped from walking and whirled around, an amused look on her face. "I knew you are following me," she accused, smiling at him. Arthur felt his heart jump into his throat; when did she ever stop getting annoyed of his presence?

"Stop flattering yourself," he managed to rasp out. Inside, he willed his heart to return back to its normal pace of beating. "It just so happens that I have some business to do in the Darkling Woods, too."

Her amused smile grew and she shook her head. She waited for him until he reached her side before they started walking around. Hermione constantly gave him curious looks, and he knew she was wondering as to why he was unusually quiet. He was nervous, blast it all, and the more he spent time with her, the more he grew confused of his feelings for her at the same time.

It was terrifying for him to wake up one morning, just to realize that he did not love Gwen anymore. It was more terrifying for him to wake up one morning, just to realize that he was in love with Hermione instead.

She had been in Camelot for three months and a half now, and yet, Arthur did not really know enough about her. Was it possible to fall in love with a person you do not really know? Arthur fervently wished that yes, a person could, or else he'd believe he was mad just to think that the reason why his heart pounded three times faster than normal and his insides twisted uncomfortably was because he was in love.

He'd felt like this before, long ago, but at the same time, it was different. Coupled by this weird feeling was fascination and intrigue. He didn't know her, and yet he wanted to know her. At the same time, her enigma had drawn him to her.

"Is something the matter?" Hermione asked.

Arthur briefly closed his eyes and sighed. Even her voice sounded lovely to his ears now.

The prince scowled. When did he become a poetic, bumbling romantic?

 _'You. You're the one that matters,_ ' he growled in frustration inside his head. With his new feelings for the brunette, he had no idea what to do next. Wryly, he wondered why he always fell in love with those beneath him. It would do a great deal to his kingdom if he fell in love with a princess or a duchess. Their statuses would benefit Camelot in the future. But no, _oh no_ , his heart always chose to fall in love with those without any statuses at all; those, he was actually prohibit to interact with based on propriety and decorum and all those useless rules in this world.

"Hey," she said, lightly tapping him on his arm. Just her mere touch already sent shivers down his spine. "You're not exactly looking good, sire. Maybe it is best if you go back t – _AHHH_!"

Her shout made him act briefly, snaking his arm around her waist to stop her sudden fall. With her attention entirely on him, she was not able to see a protruding rock and unfortunately tripped on it. Thankfully, Arthur's knight skills required him to have a good reflex; else, Hermione might have passed out already due to head injury.

"Are you quite all right?" Arthur worriedly asked, tightening his hold on the brunette. For a moment there, he thought his heart stopped beating.

To his surprise, Hermione softly chuckled and absentmindedly placed a hand on his arm. "I-I'm sorry, that was terribly clumsy of me," she said, straightening up. His chin lightly brushed the top of her head and the hand on his arm travelled to his chest. "But thank you, your highness. You can let me go now."

That was a problem, though, because Arthur found himself unable to let her go. The feel of her body against his did wonders to his stomach. In fact, he could already feel the heat that was coming out form her body.

Hermione seemed to notice his reluctance for slowly, she lifted her head and stared up at him. Arthur, with a blush, knew it was a bad idea.

They were so close, _too close_ , and Arthur could already count the freckles that were sprinkled on her adorable nose. Her cheeks by then had colored into a dark shade of red and she, too, seemed to freeze in his arms.

"I…" she started, but the words instantly fell from her lips. She swallowed a little and her eyes darted to his lips and everything in his mind became haywire.

Slowly, he neared his face closer to her. His heart wildly pumped inside his chest, anticipating for the feel of her lips against his own. He had dreamt about this, countless times before, and he wondered if the bliss he felt every time he dreamt about her lips would be the same if he felt it in real life.

Her eyes had gradually closed by then and his nose already brushed against her own. She was panicking. Judging by the way her hands crumpled the front material of his tunic, she was nowhere near relaxed.

"I…" she started once again, her warm breath now brushing against his face. Arthur's eyes dropped close and moved closer to her. "I d-don't belong here."

Hermione suddenly pulled away from his arms. Arthur's eyes flew open in surprise and utter disappointment. Across from him stood a confused and anxious brunette. She was once again wringing her wrist, her doe-like eyes staring at him with a myriad of emotions running through her chocolate, brown eyes.

"I don't belong here," she whispered once again, her eyes filling with tears. They silently slipped from her eyes and Arthur found himself taking a few steps closer to her, but Hermione recoiled back and wrapped her arms around her body.

That familiar pang in his heart appeared and he was at loss of what to do. The near-kiss was proof enough that his theory of feelings for the maidservant was real and undeniably true. But there was something with the way she was looking at him right now that confused him so much.

Hermione then shot past him, leaving him alone in the suddenly cold, and dreary Darkling Woods.

* * *

"Arthur, you must eat," Merlin urged, poking his arm in the process.

"I said I don't want to, Merlin," Arthur hissed through gritted teeth, shielding his face away from his manservant. He knew he looked terrible. He did not have a decent sleep last night as he kept on recalling what had transpired back in the forest. A stab went through his heart and he scowled, burying his face against his pillow. "Leave, Merlin, please."

He heard his manservant sigh before placing the tray back on his study table. Merlin's noisy footsteps resounded in the whole room, until finally, his door thudded close.

Arthur buried his head deeper into his pillow and sighed. He thought it was ridiculous his heart had been broken twice in a span of almost four months. Hermione's rejection, though, was terribly confusing. She was so close to him and he'd seen her eyes; he believed that in that moment, she felt the same way about him.

But then, she had to push him away and leave.

He spent the whole night replaying the events of yesterday and trying to make sense out of it. He couldn't understand as to why she seemed mournful already of the fact that she didn't belong here. Hermione and Merlin kept on drilling in his head that as soon as things became better in her hometown, she would leave.

 _'Can't you just stay?'_ Arthur mentally asked himself, prompting him to release a soft sigh.

His door once again opened and behind his pillow he rolled his eyes. "Merlin, how many times do I have to tell you I don't want to eat?" he barked, his voice a little muffled by his pillow. "You annoying, manservant. I don't even know why I put up with you."

A lengthy silence followed his outburst and he wondered if Merlin got offended by his words.

"Will you send him to the stocks again?"

Her voice had prompted him to sit up on his bed, wide-eyed. In front of his study table stood Hermione, guarded and tensed. He noted with smugness that she, too, looked terrible. Arthur wondered if their near-kiss yesterday had kept her awake at night.

"What are you doing here?" he blurted out. He flustered, realizing what he had ask, and looked away from her. Truth be told, he thought that after what happened back in the Darkling Woods yesterday, Hermione would avoid him at all cost.

At the corner of his eyes, he watched as she lifted the food tray from his study table and approached him. The fact that she was near sent every nerve in his body to tingle with an unknown emotion.

"Merlin told me you refuse to eat," she softly said, offering the food tray to him. "As the future King of Camelot, you must take care of yourself, sire."

He looked back at her and frowned. Slowly then, he reached for the tray and clutched it away from her. For a fraction of a minute, their fingers lightly brushed against each other and Arthur once again felt the horrifying electricity.

He averted his eyes on his tray and absentmindedly tore off the bread into pieces. "Yesterday…" he rasped out. "W-why did you leave?"

Hermione shuffled nervously, prompting him to look back at her. She was trying her best not to meet his eyes. "I-it wasn't right," she whispered, shyly tucking a stray strand behind her ear. "You're… a prince." Unbeknownst to her, a forlorn smile grew on her face. "I'm just a mere servant."

A soft scoff escaped from his lips, surprising her. Her eyes settled on him in question and he lightly glared. "If that is what's bothering you, then you obviously do not know me," he shot back. Arthur expelled a soft sigh and beseechingly looked up at her. "Hermione, I used to love Gwen, remember? And she's a maidservant like you. Do you honestly think I care about statuses when I fall in love?"

She blushed at his implication. _'I know I love you,'_ he kept on saying through his eyes and she, being a brilliant girl she was, completely understood him.

"N-no, it isn't right," she interjected once more. Her eyes shone, but no tears fell. "You and Guinevere… you are destined to be together."

"How can you say that?" Arthur asked with a scowl. "I've already accepted that she loves Lancelot. I…" He waited until her eyes connected with his. "I love you."

Her eyes widened at his words, before she vigorously shook her head. "You don't know me at all," she whispered, followed by a mirthless chuckle. "How can you say you love me, Arthur?"

It was the first time he heard his name roll out from her mouth. "Then let me know you," he whispered, reaching for her hand. He was relieved she did not pull away. "I want to know you, Hermione. Then perhaps, I'd be able to properly understand what feelings I have for you."

She sadly smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "I'm not worth it," she said, a small tear now trailing down from her eyes. "I… I don't belong here, sire. Soon, I will leave and I don't think I'm ever going back."

He paled at her words. The idea that her presence would soon be gone in Camelot was daunting. "Then… then allow me to spend your remaining time here in Camelot with you," he said, smiling gently at her.

"Why must you be so difficult?" she asked, releasing a watery chuckle. She closed her eyes and held onto his hand tightly. "I… I-I tried my best to avoid you because this is wrong. I just…" Her shoulders sagged and she slowly opened her eyes. "I don't think I can avoid you anymore."

A full-blown grin grew on his face and she shyly smiled back. Lifting his hand, he brushed away the tears that gradually slipped down from her eyes.

She might say that she would leave soon.

But for now, he just wanted her to be his.

* * *

"Where are you going, Arthur?!" Merlin exclaimed, exasperated.

Arthur stopped walking and swirled around to look at his manservant. Today, he was supposed to attend the council meeting. King Uther specifically required for him to have an audience with him and his council, but Arthur had other plans in mind.

"Just make up an excuse for my absence, Merlin," Arthur said, expelling a soft sigh. He gently patted his disgruntled manservant and grinned. "If he punishes you, tell me immediately and I'll save you." To complete his playfulness, Arthur sent him a charming wink.

Merlin scowled and rolled his eyes. "Just because Hermione accepted you didn't mean you can throw your duties out of the window," he admonished. Arthur's cheeks grew red with embarrassment. Slowly then, a small smile appeared on his manservant's face and he gently patted Arthur's arm. "Just keep my reminder in mind at all times, yes? I'd rather have you err… condescending than brooding."

Arthur glared, prompting Merlin to sheepishly smile. "I'd let that slide because I'm in an awfully wonderful mood today," he said. "Now off you go and tell my father whatever lie you've formulated already."

Before Merlin could even retort something back, Arthur bounded away from him, off to find Hermione.

He discovered she was once again in the forest, gathering some of the ingredients that would most probably used for supper tonight. He could not help but to stare down at one of the cooks who informed him. He had to restrain himself for reprimanding him for sending a girl unattended off into the forest when obviously, there were wild beasts lurking around.

Arthur quickly ran to the forest, ridiculously nervous for her welfare. He immediately spotted her bent over a small patch of edible mushrooms blooming on the ground. Arthur spent a good minute just staring at her, unwittingly smiling at the ridiculous contentment on her face.

"I don't really understand how mushrooms can be that interesting," he lightly said, announcing his presence.

Hermione gasped and quickly shot up, a hand against her heart. When she saw that it was merely him, smiling widely at her, she slightly scowled and shook her head. Hermione crouched back down on the ground and continued collecting mushrooms, ignoring him in the process.

Arthur knitted his eyebrows in confusion. Two days ago, he thought it was perfectly clear between the two of them that they would give them a try. He thought that as soon as he bounded to the forest and found her, she would throw herself into his arms.

But then again, that wouldn't be Hermione.

Arthur lifted an eyebrow and cautiously took a step forward. He stopped once he was in front of her and slowly crouched down. He peered at her face and he frowned when she turned away from him. That was when he noticed that her cheeks were ruddy.

He couldn't hold in the soft chuckle that escaped from his lips. Affronted, Hermione shot him a light glare, prompting him to grin more widely.

"Are you, perhaps, embarrassed?" he asked, his eyes shining with mirth.

Hermione scowled and looked away from him. "Whatever made you think so, sire?" she asked.

Her red cheeks spoke volumes of what she was truly feeling.

Arthur fondly thought it was, for lack of a better word, adorable that she was feeling this way. He had to admit - their conversation back in his room spoke of confessions and feelings. Hermione shouldn't be blamed if seeing him right now made her realize what his words meant back then and made her flustered.

Silently then, he stretched out his hand and lightly touched her cheek. Her eyes widened and she looked back at him. Arthur lightly smiled, brushing his thumb against her smooth cheek. She was utterly beautiful. "What I said are still true up until now," he said, his smile widening when she grew warmer under his touch.

There was so much hesitation in her eyes. Arthur slightly frowned. He honestly did not understand why she was holding back. There was something in her eyes that told her she felt the same way about him, too. But he sternly held her gaze, trying to relay the feelings he have for her with his intense stare.

Gradually, she leaned against his palm and even snuggled a bit. Arthur's heart skipped a beat and his mouth ran dry.

Slowly then, he leaned forward. Hermione's eyes closed, patiently waiting. When his lips were a mere hairsbreadth away, he stopped. Arthur was giving her another chance to pull away, to run away and forget everything that he had said. After all, he once said that he'd never throw himself at a girl who obviously didn't love him.

But an eternity passed, and she was still waiting.

Arthur then closed the gap between the two of them and finally, _finally_ kissed her. Stars erupted behind his eyes and he lightly shivered at how her lips reluctantly moved against his. Her lips were soft and sweet, and Arthur horrifyingly found himself wanting for more.

He raised his other hand and cupped her other cheek, pulling her closer to him to kiss her more deeply. Their kiss turned passionate and desperate and Hermione had to rest both of her hands on his arms to steady herself.

Arthur had never kissed anyone like this before. Guinevere's were always slow and sweet, relishing every peck she bestowed upon his lips. But Hermione's… hers were rough and hard, speaking as if she'd held back for far too long and all the frustrations she had felt for holding back were now poured hungrily against his lips.

By the time he pulled away, Arthur felt a little dizzy. The gasps tore loudly from his mouth and he couldn't keep the huge, idiotic grin from blossoming on his face. This was bliss and all the dreams he had of kissing her paled in comparison.

Hermione's eyes were ablaze with a passion he had never seen her possess before. Arthur sometimes thought that perhaps, his feelings for her were one-sided and that she was merely appeasing him since he was a prince. But seeing her eyes, hearing the gasps that escaped from her mouth… all those doubts were neglected.

The brunette then leaned her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "You…" she said, still breathless with the kiss. "You make it so hard to ignore you."

And then, she leaned once again to briefly brush her lips against his.

* * *

"Hey, dollophead!"

Arthur rounded about, offended at being insulted by his manservant. Merlin's eyes momentarily grew wide and he sheepishly smiled, scratching the back of his neck nonchalantly.

"I've been calling you for some time now, but you're not responding, sire," his manservant said in defense.

"And that gave you the excuse to call me names, _Mer_ lin?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow. He suppressed a grin when Merlin stiffened, as if waiting for the prince to once again send him to the stocks. But oh, he was in a wonderful mood. Therefore, he wouldn't grumpily send off Merlin to the stocks for being annoying.

Arthur then looked away from him and dreamily sighed, returning back to the documents he was trying his hardest to review. He could see at the corner of his eyes the look of confusion on Merlin's face, and this time, he wasn't able to suppress his grin.

"What has gotten you in a daze, Prince Arthur?" Merlin said, slightly leaning down to peer at his twinkling eyes. Arthur lightly glared at him and his manservant straightened back up.

"Frankly, Merlin, that is none of your business," the prince replied, lacking the hostile tone he wished to express. The kiss he had shared with Hermione a few days ago was still so fresh in his mind. Sometimes, he would even dream about it and he'd be thrown in a whirlwind of happiness and adoration.

They hadn't met in secret after that, but then of course, there were stolen glances and touches. One time, Arthur was even bold enough to pull her into an alcove when she was passing by to give her a brief kiss. The blush that spread on her cheeks was worth it and he strolled out of the alcove, triumphant and happy.

"Arthur," Merlin hesitantly said, breaking him off from his happy reverie.

The prince, with knitted eyebrows, looked up at his manservant. 

"Have you heard anything from Hermione?" he slowly continued.

Upon hearing the brunette's name, he perked up. "What about Hermione?" he asked, frowning in worry and confusion.

A look of sympathy crossed on Merlin's face and Arthur's breath hitched. Somehow, he already had an inkling on what Merlin was about to say.

"T-Tomorrow," Merlin cautiously continued, staring sadly at his master. "Tomorrow, Hermione leaves."

All the color on his face drained and Arthur swore his heart froze with the news.

* * *

She unsurprisingly asked him to meet her in the courtyard where she used to pick flowers before. Arthur debated whether to come or not, his heart already breaking into pieces without her even telling him about her news face-to-face. But then, the fact that he would not be able to see her again had prompted him to go in the end.

When he arrived, Hermione was sitting stiffly on the bench. Her face was pale and her knuckles were white. Arthur kept on denying to himself that she would leave soon, but the way she was acting right now already confirmed the worse.

For a moment, he looked at her without her knowledge. The pain in his heart once again reawakened and he took a shaky breath in. It was funny to know that the pain he was feeling right now was greater than what he had felt when Gwen chose Lancelot over him.

"Hermione," he then called, announcing his presence. She perked up upon hearing his voice and offered him a small, forced smile.

"Arthur," she softly called back.

The prince strolled closer to her until he was in front of the bench. Hermione stared up at him, wide-eyed. He knew she already discovered that he knew what her purpose was for calling him. Arthur's jaw clenched in silent fury and anger and she, to his surprise, sadly smiled back in return.

"I told you I will leave soon," was what she meekly answered back. Arthur clenched his fists and glared down at her, all the feelings of despair now radiating from his body. "Sire…"

He closed his eyes and he shook his head. "Can't you stay?" he rasped out. He had been silently asking that question to himself for days now, and it was the first time he voiced that aloud.

All the anger in him dissipated away when she reached out for his trembling hand. Her thumb smoothed all over his knuckles and soon, he opened them up in resignation. Through hooded eyes, he watched as Hermione slowly stood up from the bench and gave him a watery smile.

"I've warned you beforehand, but you were so… _so_ stubborn," she whispered, lifting a hand to place it against his cheek. Arthur closed his eyes once again and leaned against her touch. "I… I know how you felt about Gwen's choice, but then… but then, you started to show some interest in me and I knew I had to save you from another inevitable heartbreak."

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "If I ask you to be my queen, will you stay?" he asked.

Hermione's eyes widened and she vigorously shook her head. "You're being too hasty," she said, pulling her hand back to herself. "You don't know me, Arthur."

"Well, if that's the only way for you to stay then I'd gladly risk it," Arthur snarled, grasping both of her shoulders in frustration. "Why must you go back home? Why are you so keen to leave? We haven't… we haven't even given us a chance and now you're leaving."

Arthur's shoulders sagged and he bowed his head in desperation. "I love you," he whispered. "Or at least, I am about to. Why won't you give me the chance to finally fall?"

"I don't belong here," she whispered yet again. Arthur looked up at her, noting how her eyes shone with the tears she desperately held back. Of course he knew she did not belong here. She never failed to repeat it every day, hoping to push him farther and farther away from her. But the way she looked at him spoke of the undeniable secret only he and she shared – her heart already belonged to him.

A small tear slipped down from her eye and she mournfully stared back at him. "Someday, Gwen will marry you and you'd be happy once again," she continued, a bitter hint in her voice. "And then, you'd f-forget me." She took a sharp intake of breath and gave him a watery smile. "Y-you will soon have your happiness, Arthur."

"I'm not even sure if I'd be happy with Guinevere once again," he replied back. He stepped closer and wound his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. She released a surprised gasp at his actions, but she thankfully didn't pull away. "I might find happiness with you by my side, Hermione."

She sniffed and snuggled closer to him. "Y-you're making this harder for the both of us, sire," she whispered against his skin.

"Good, because that means you have no intention of leaving Camelot at all," he said, grasping tightly at that ray of hope.

His heart sank, though, when she lightly shook her head. "I don't belong here," she repeated once again. "And Camelot will be better off without me."

"Hermione, I - "

She did not give him a chance to answer back for she slightly pulled away and gazed sadly at his face. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Arthur Pendragon," she whispered, more tears now streaming down from her face. "Even though it was for a short period of time, I'm glad I was brought here to meet you."

She was saying goodbye and he was helpless to stop her.

Such was his frustration that he did not realize that tears now also streamed down from his face. Hermione deftly wiped them away with the pad of her thumb. "I-I'm sorry to have caused you this," she whispered, now holding both of his cheeks with her hand. Arthur met her eyes and he could see the grief that she was already feeling.

Slowly then, she leaned up to give him a soft, gentle kiss on the lips.

"Perhaps one day," she whispered against his lips, "we'll see each other again."

She then stood back away from him and merely gazed at him for minutes. "Perhaps then," she continued, "I'd be able to tell you what I truly feel about you, Arthur Pendragon."

Hermione then curtsied and turned around.

The very next day, she was gone.

* * *

He heard Merlin enter his bedchambers, but Arthur did not even avert his eyes away from his tabletop. Tons of paperwork lay scattered on his desk, but all of them were a blurry of words and nonsense to his eyes. He looked terrible, that he admit, but he was too mournful to even conceal his face away from his worried manservant.

"Sire…"

Arthur expelled a soft sigh and shook his head. "I'd rather not eat today, Merlin, thank you," he said, absentmindedly running his hand through his hair. He briefly flicked his eyes at Merlin's face, and saw that the sympathy was there in his eyes.

The young prince flinched and scowled back down on the documents on the table, once again reminded of the harsh truth that she already left.

"Arthur, do you want to talk about it?"

"No," he quickly answered back, his emotions once again building in his system. He bent his head lower down to shield his shining eyes. "I don't."

And maybe, he would never want to.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a sequel :)


End file.
